A workmate of the man accused of murdering his former partner received a message off him saying “I have murdered Laura” shortly after she was stabbed to death in Denbigh, a court heard.

Gary Thompson, of Buckley, told a trial at Mold Crown Court he also received a number of messages from defendant Jason Cooper in the weeks leading up to Laura Stuart’s death and believed he needed help.

Cooper, of St Hilary’s Terrace in Denbigh, denies murdering the 33-year-old mum of two and wounding David Roberts with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on August 12 last year.

Mr Thompson told the court Cooper had said in messages: “All this on my head and ready to kill.”

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On the Saturday or Sunday before her death Mr Thomson said he and Cooper were out in Denbigh and at a bar it was alleged a man had been sleeping with Laura and the two squared up to one another.

At 4.04am on the day of her death Mr Thomson received a message from Coooper saying “I just murdered Laura” which he did not see at the time.

Among the earlier messages he received was one which said “My anger and temper cause me my problems – can’t control my anger and hatred.”

Tributes to Denbigh mum Laura Stuart

Cross-examined by Patrick Harrington QC, Mr Thompson said that over a course of months there was a change in the defendant’s behaviour and attitude .

Cooper told him that in the past, Laura had a problem with drink and drugs and that his ambition was to keep her away from drugs and to moderate her drinking, which was having a corrosive effect on their relationship.

It affected everything, he said. Cooper began to drink more and it affected his mental health.